How to Find Babysitting Jobs
Breaking into babysitting as a part-time job can prove difficult initially, as parents often want to hire people already experienced in childcare. Once you land that first job, however, babysitting is a lucrative job, as the hourly rate rises quickly as you gain more experience. Make sure that you know what you are getting into before you start and only take jobs with children at ages that you think you can handle to ensure that you and your new charges are safe and happy.
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Instructions
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Spread the word. Talk to neighbors, family, friends and teachers and let them know that you are actively looking for babysitting jobs. Have your parents talk to co-workers as well. Many parents are cautious about leaving their children in the care of strangers and rely on word-of-mouth referrals.
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Make up fliers, business cards or a resume. Use any drawing or word processing program to put together something that you can hand out to the people you speak to about babysitting jobs. You can create a simple business card with your name and email address, a flier stating your qualifications or a full resume if you already have extensive babysitting experience.
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Join websites that match parents with childcare providers. Sites like Care.com or SitterCity.com allow you to create a profile stating your qualifications, preferences in the children's ages and preferred days of the week that parents can view. Some of these sites also allow parents to post their jobs, leaving you free to browse them and apply to the jobs that interest you. Inquire as to whether the website offers background checks, and have one done if it does. There might be a small charge for it, but it will help you qualify for babysitting jobs.
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Call nanny placement or childcare referral agencies. While most of these types of agencies place people into full-time positions, many of them also place babysitters to fill in when a family's nanny is on vacation or ill.
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Get recommendation letters from families you have babysat for in the past, and ask if they would be willing to speak with any prospective employers. Personal recommendations are helpful when approaching someone for a job, and letting the families know that you are seeking additional work might open up new doors.
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Tips & Warnings
Call your local Red Cross and get certified in first aid and CPR. Knowing that you have the proper training to take care of emergencies that might arise will set prospective employers' minds at ease about hiring you, and it may help you save a life.
Be cautious about advertising for a babysitting job on sites like Craigslist.org, cautions Kidproof.com, an organization founded by former law enforcement professionals. Websites that are open to the public are often filled with scammers and predators. If you do decide to answer a posting looking for a babysitter on a classified ad site, never answer the ad or meet the poster in person without permission from your parents if you are under 20. If you are a young adult you should also proceed with caution, checking references before meeting any posters and always letting someone know where you will be.
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